Majority back continued single market membership - poll

A majority of Britons would support remaining in the single market and customs union after Brexit, an opinion poll has indicated.

The BMG Research poll for the website Left Foot Forward found 60% of those who expressed a view backed remaining in the single market, with 24% neither agreeing nor disagreeing and 16% opposed.

On the customs union, 57% said the UK should remain a member, 27% neither agreed nor disagreed and 16% backed leaving it.

The survey was carried out before French President Emmanuel Macron warned that a post-Brexit free trade agreement would not provide full access to the single market for financial services at the same level as that offered to members.

Emmanuel Macron has warned the UK about the conditions for single market access after Brexit (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Speaking alongside Theresa May after a UK-France summit on Thursday he said: "I want to make sure that the single market is preserved because that is very much the heart of the EU.

"The choice is on the British side, not on my side. But there can be no differentiated access for the financial services.

"If you want access to the single market - including the financial services - be my guest. But it means that you need to contribute to the budget and acknowledge European jurisdiction.

"Such are the rules, and we know the system already in place for Norway."

The Prime Minister plans for the UK to leave the single market and customs union but strike a bespoke deal which will preserve many of the benefits.

"We recognise that as we leave the EU we will no longer be full members of the single market," she said.

"We recognise that. There will be a different relationship in future, a different balance of rights and responsibilities, and we've been very clear about that.

"But I believe that it is actually in the interest not only of the United Kingdom, but also the European Union as it goes forward, to continue to have a good economic relationship and partnership with the UK and I believe that should cover both goods and services."

- BMG Research surveyed a representative sample of 1,513 UK adults online between January 9 and 12.

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